The aim of the study is to verify if a "PROTECTIVE" ventilatory strategy (low tidal volume and high PEEP, application of CPAP during the apnea test and recruitment maneuvers), improves lung function and increases the number of lungs eligible for transplantation.

Lung transplantation reduces mortality in patients with severe pulmonary diseases. While 50-70% of kidney, liver and heart are eligible for transplantation, only 20% of the lungs fit the criteria for transplant. More than 30% of the lungs theoretically suitable for donation are not actually collected because following brain death they develop severe hypoxemia and abnormal chest X-ray. Guidelines for critical care management of potential organ donors suggest that after the diagnosis of brain death, treatment priority can be shifted from cerebral protection to a strategy aimed at preserving solid organ perfusion and function. However the ventilatory strategy recommended for potential lung donors is similar to the one proposed for brain injured patients. This ventilatory strategy based on high Vt and low PEEP may induce a further exacerbation of the pulmonary and systemic inflammatory response in patients with acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome. Moreover, recent data suggest that this strategy may be harmful in "normal lungs" of mechanical ventilated patients. Aim of the study is to verify if a "PROTECTIVE" ventilatory strategy (low tidal volume and high PEEP, application of CPAP during the apnea test and recruitment maneuvers) improves lung function. Primary end point of the study is to increase the number of lungs that meet the eligibility criteria for transplantation. Secondary end point is to increase the number of lungs really transplanted.

Eligibility

Ages Eligible for Study:

18 Years to 65 Years

Genders Eligible for Study:

Both

Accepts Healthy Volunteers:

No

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

Age: 18-65 years

Chest X-ray: no infiltrates

Duration of mechanical ventilation from the admission to ICU to the clinical diagnosis of brain death < 5 days

No history of Smoking (1 pack/day for 20 years; 1/2 pack/day for 40 years; 2 packs/day for 10 years)

No history of Asthma

No history of COPD

No history of Trauma

No history of Thoracic surgery

Exclusion Criteria:

Evidence of aspiration (chest X-ray or bronchoscopy) or sepsis

Purulent secretions (tracheal suction or bronchoscopy)

Sputum Gram stain with bacteria, fungus, significant number of WBC

Contacts and Locations

Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study.
To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the Contacts provided below.
For general information, see Learn About Clinical Studies.

Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00260676